Final answer:
Option a) Pre-Colonial Nigeria is the period that aligns with the concept of women being seen as equally valuable to men, as they made strong contributions to subsistence, which was crucial for their communities.
Step-by-step explanation:
In what period were Nigerian women seen as equally valuable to their male counterparts in Nigerian society? The period that most closely aligns with women having a status potentially seen as equal to men in terms of their contributions to society and the economy would be A)Pre-Colonial Nigeria.
During this era, the roles and status of women varied among different ethnic groups. For instance, in some indigenous communities, women were integral to subsistence activities and, as a result, had greater social status and even equality with men. This was particularly true among gatherer-hunter societies, which depended heavily on the gathering of food done by women.
In contrast, the colonial and post-colonial periods often saw a diminishment in the status of women, as these times introduced or solidified patriarchal structures, relegating women to domestic roles and limiting their public and political engagement. However, it should be noted that there were exceptions, with instances where powerful women performed key roles in society, such as wealthy Igbo women who could take titles and even 'wives' within their communities.